1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel stable zeolite/succinoglycan suspensions and to the use of such novel suspensions for detergency applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of zeolites in detergent compositions is well known to this art. Thus, the zeolites have at least partially replaced the phosphates in detergents. Indeed, the phosphates are believed to be responsible for the eutrophication of water supplies and thus of presenting ecological and environmental difficulties.
The zeolites are generally used in the form of aqueous suspensions or slurries which, for example, can be introduced into detergent slurries which can then be sprayed.
However, these zeolite suspensions have a tendency to sediment or to gel, which makes them difficult to transport or store. In fact, the deposition of a hard layer of pigment covered by a slurry which is more fluid, but poor in solids content is very frequently observed at the end of transport, or after a more or less prolonged period of storage.
Moreover, it is typically impossible to resuspend the zeolite, or to provide a slurry having a sufficiently low viscosity as to be pumpable and therefore industrially useful.